News Tamil Nadu

Chennai Police Registers Woman Harassment Case On ‘Savukku’ Shankar Based On Complaint By Journalist Sandhya Ravishankar And TMP Head Veeralakshmi

May 8, 2024
The Commune

The Cyber Crime division of the Greater Chennai City Police has initiated legal action against YouTuber ‘Savukku’ Shankar, prompted by complaints from journalist Sandhya Ravishankar and Tamizhaga Munnetra Padai founder Veeralakshmi. In one of the cases, Felix Gerald, the administrator of the YouTube channel Redpix, was named as a defendant.

Greater Chennai Police in its official social media X handle stated, “Cases registered in CCB: #UPDATE Based on the complaint filed by a woman Editor of a private media against Shankar @Savukku Shankar a case was registered at Greater Chennai Police, CCB, Cyber Crime Police Station, under the sections of 294(b), 354D, 506 (i), 509 IPC and Sec.4 of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act (TNPHW Act). Further, another case has been registered on the complaint lodged by Veeralakshmi, founder and leader of Tamilar Munnetra Padai, against Shankar @ Savukku Shankar and Felix, at GCP, Central Crime Branch, Cyber Crime Police Station u/s 294(b), 506 (i) IPC. Police are investigating.”

In this regard the independent women journalist Sandhya Ravishankar had welcomed the move and stated in her X official account that, “After 6 years, @chennaipolice registered an FIR on the basis of my complaint against ‘Savukku’ Shankar. CCB/Cyber Crime have regd a case u/s 294(b), 354D, 506(i), 509 IPC and section 4 of TN Prevention of Harassment of Women Act on 07.05.2024. Thanks to CoP, Chennai & team.”

Award-winning freelance journalist Sandhya Ravishankar from Chennai lodged a formal complaint with the National Commission for Women (NCW) against the YouTuber and political commentator known as ‘Savukku’ Shankar, accusing him of harassment, stalking, and defamation.

In her grievance submitted to the Commission, Sandhya alleged that Shankar had tarnished her reputation by leveling baseless accusations in an article published on 27 August 2018, on his blog ‘Savukku’. She clarified that she had no prior acquaintance with Shankar nor did she follow him on social media, learning about the defamatory content only after being alerted by a friend. Furthermore, she claimed that Shankar had persisted in defaming her on his Facebook pages, falsely alleging that she accepted bribes to target a mining company associated with one of Tamil Nadu’s major news channels.

Additionally, Sandhya disclosed that she had filed a complaint with the Chennai Police Commissioner in October 2018, but the investigation had stalled. Subsequently, in October 2019, she wrote to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and received a response. Despite following through with complaints at both the Ashok Nagar and Teynampet police stations, she lamented the lack of progress. Sandhya highlighted Shankar’s history of targeting other women, including a female anchor and another journalist, indicating a pattern of abusive behavior.

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